Dredge.



No. 659,489. Patented Oct. 9, I900.

R. R. QSGOOD. DBEDGE.

(Application filed June 4, 1900. @No Model.) '3 Sheets-Sheet l.

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Patented Oct. 9, I900. 12. R. osaoon.

- D R ED G E (Application filed. June 4, 1900.)

'3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

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Patented Oct. 9, I900.

R. R. OSGOOD.

D R E D G E Application filed June 4, 1900.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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UNTTE STATES PATENT OFFICE.

RALPH R. OSGOOD, OF LANSINGBURG, NEW YORK.

DREDGE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N 0. 659,489, dated October9, 1900.

Application filed .Tune 4, 1900. serial No- 18,989. (No model.)

To ctZZ whmn it may concern:

Be it known that I, RALPH R. OSGOOD, a citizen of the United States,residing at Lansingburg, county of Rensselaer, and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Im provemen ts in Dredges, of whichthe following is a specification.

The invention relates to such improvements; and it consists of the novelconstruction and combination of parts hereinafter described andsubsequently claimed.

Reference may be had to the accompanying drawings and the referencecharacters marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Similar characters refer to similar parts in the several figures.

The object of my invention. is to reinforce, reduce the weight of, andfacilitate the manip ulation of a dipper-handle of an excavator.

In the operation of excavators, such as dredges, the excavating-dipperis fixed upon and supported and operated byashaft or handle adapted inlength to the distance from the body of the excavator at which thedipper is to operate. When the dipper shaft or handle is thus increasedin length, as in a dredge for operating in oomparathely-deep water, itis necessary to increase the strength of the handle to Withstand theincreased transverse strain. This has heretofore been accomplished byincreasing the cross-sectional dimensions. Handles have thus been madeas large as seventy-five feet in length and three feet square, and sucha handle built up of timber, as is the common practice, weighs aboutthirty tons. Each time the dipper is operated it is necessary to operatethis massive structure, and inoperating the dipper many times a day theloss of time and force required in moving the massive handle is great.Furthermore, the increased size and weight of the handle necessitatesincreasing the weight and strength of the dipper itself in order toenable it to withstand the downward thrust or crushing force of thehandle when the dipper is forced into engagement with the subjacentsoil.

The purpose of my invention is to obviate the disadvantages of such formof construction as has heretofore been used for supporting and operatingthe dipper in such excaating-machines and to facilitate themanipulationof the dipper supporting and operating mechanism of excavators, andparticularly of such supporting and operating mechanism as forms part ofthis invention.

Figure l of the drawings is a view, in side elevation, of the dippersupporting and operating mechanism of a dredge provided with myinvention, the outlines of portions of the dredge and immersed portionsof the mech- 2 is an enlarged view, partly in side elevation and partlyin section, of the dipper in an elevated position and its supporting andoperating mechanism. Fig. 3 is a central longitudinal section of thedipper-arm, reinforcingsleeve,and trunnion-supporting sleeve. Fig. 4. isa cross-section of the same taken centrally through the trunnions on thebroken line 4. 4 in Fig. 3. Fig. 5 is a cross-section of taken on thebroken line 5 5 in Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a top plan view of the dippenhandlepartly broken away. Fig. 7 is a cross-section of the tapered portion ofthe handle, taken on the broken line 7 7 in Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a planview of the reinforcing-sleeve. end view of the same. Fig. 10 is a planview of the trunnion-supporting sleeve. Fig. 11 is an end view of thesame.

The body of the dredge is represented by dotted lines 1 in Fig. 1.

Supported upon a turn-table 2 in the usual manner to project from thefront end of the body or boat is the boom 3, which supports the dippermechanism. The dipper 4 is fixed upont'ne lower end of the shaft or arm5 in the usual manner. This handle is made of comparatively-smallcross-sectional dimensions and is inserted within a reinforcingsleeve 6,which is located within the trunnion-supporting sleeve 7, having thelatera ly-projecting trunnions 8, and forming a slideway-support for thehandle and its reinforcing-sleeve. The trunnion -supporting sleeve ismounted upon the boom 3, which is provided with bearings 9 for thetrunnions, whereby the trunnion-sleeve with the inclosed dipper-arm andreinforcing-sleeve are supported and adapted to oscillate in a verticalplane. I

Reciprocating and oscillating movements Fig. 9 is an anism beingrepresented by dotted lines. Fig.

the dipperhandle and reinforcing -sleeve, 1

may be imparted to the dipper an'd'dippe-r dle when thus locked againstreciprocatory movement in the slideway-support may be caused tooscillate in a vertical plane on the axis of the trunnions by means ofthe chain 10, connected at one end with the outer end of the boom andpassing thence downwardly and around a sheave or pulley 11, connectedwith the dipper, and thence upwardly over a sheave or pulley 12, mountedin the outer end of the boom, the other end of said chain beingconnect-ed with a power-actuated drum or Windlass. (Not shown.) When thedipper-handle is released and left free to reciprocate in itsslideway-support, reciprocating movements can be imparted thereto bymeans of said chain 10 and its connections, as described.

The reinforcing-sleeve 6 may be made of any desired material anddimensions and is preferably reciprocatory in the trunnionsleeve, whilethe handle is recipr'ocatory in said reinforcing-sleeve.

'lhedipper-handle is provided on its outer or upper end with an otfsetor abutment 13, which limits the relative movement of the handle andreinforcing-sleeve in one direction, while near the other end of thehandle are other offsets or stops 14, formed by the dipper connections,which limit their relative movement in the other direction. Thereinforcing-sleeve is thus loosely confined upon the arm and is adaptedto be raised by engagement with the stops 14 when the dipper is raisedto the position shown in Fig. 2'. When the dipper is lowered, gravity oren gagement with the abutment or stop 13 will also cause thereinforcing-sleeve to descend to the position shown in Fig. 1.

The upper end of the trunnion-sleeve is provided with cushions or butiers 15, formed of rubber or other yielding material, supported byoffset brackets or flanges 16 and located in the path of ofisets orbrackets 17, fixed 1 pon the upper end of the reinforcing-sleeve. uchbuifers tend to relieve the concussion caused by the sudden stopping ofthe reinforcingsleeve when it reaches the limit of its downward movementin the trunnion-sleeve as well as that caused by the engagement of theabutment 13 on the end of the dipper-arm with the trunnion-sleeve or theinterposed offsetting portions of the reinforcing-sleeve.

By the use of the above-described features of my invention it ispossible to employ a dipper-arm of extreme length, but of comparativelysmall weight, which can be easily and quickly manipulated in theoperation of the dipper, and at the same time, by means of the essaryweight.

in strength to those formerly employed of ex trerne size. When desired,the dipper-arm can be further diminished in bulk and weight bycontracting or taperingthe upper portion of the shaft or handle, asshown at 18, from a point near the upper end to a point near the lowerend of the reinforcing-sleeve and within said sleeve when the parts arein or near their lowermost position, as shown in Fig. 3. At the upperend of such tapered portion, at 19, the handle is left of normaldimensions adapted to fit the interior of the reinforcing-sleeve andafford a secure support for the upper end of the handle, while itsintermediate portion at the upper end of the tapered portion also fitsthe sleeve, th us attording ample support to enable the handle tosustain all necessary strains, while relieving the same from unnec- My'improved construction also permits of the dipper itself being madecomparatively lightin weight by reason of the great reduction in theweight of the handle secured thereby.

To permit the dipper and handle to be properly manipulated by means ofthe chain 10 and its connections in the dredging operation, it isnecessary that the dipperarm should during such operation be held fromreciprocating movement in its slideway-support, and I have heretoforeinvented various devices for this purpose adapted to act directly uponthe arm, such as shown and described in Letters Patent granted to metherefor, No. 162,849, dated May t, 1875, and No. 362,587, dated May 10,1887.

' Wit-hmy present construction of dipper supporting and operatingmechanism it is difiicult to apply clamping or friction devices to actdirectly upon the dipper-arm on account of the reinforcing-sleeve whichincloses the arm. I have shown in the drawings mechanism adapted forthis purpose which is particularly applicable to the sleeve-reinforcedhandle above described, but which can also be used with other forms ofhandle, if desired. Such mechanism comprises one or more links locatedoutside of the trunnion-sleeve or slideway-support for the handle andadapted to reciprocate in unison with said handle and clamping mechanismfor said link or links mounted upon said trunnion-sleeve orslideway-support. I have shown the trunnion-sleeve provided with a yoke21, fixed thereon, and two links 22 23, extending through said yokeoutside the trunnion-sleeve and reinforcing-sleeve and attached at theiropposite ends to the dipperhandle near its opposite ends. These linksare preferably formed bl? metal plates or straps. Between these linkswithin the yoke is inserted a friction plate or gib 24. The inner linkis adapted to bear upon the outer side of the trunnion-sleeve and theouter link is adapted to be engaged by a clamping plate or gib 25. As ameans for operating the clamping mechanism I have shown areinforcing-sleeve, to make such an arm equal toggle-joint 20,interposed between said plate 25 and the outer portion of the yoke 21 insuch manner that the joint can be operated to tightly compress the linksand frictionplate 24 between the clamping-plate 25 and the outer side ofthe trunnion-sleeve. The toggle-joint is preferably operated by means offluid-pressure applied through a piston and cylinder operativelyconnected with the hinge of the toggle-joint. I have shown a cylinder26, fixed upon the yoke 21 and provided with a reciprocatory piston 27,having a piston-rod 28 connecting with the hinge of the toggle-joint.

Fluid-pressure, as in the form of steam, may be supplied to the cylinderin any known manner, preferably so as to not be interfered with by theoscillating movements of the trunnion-sleeve. I have shown thetrunnionsleeve provided with a fluid passage-way 29, communicating witha hollow trunnion 8 and connected by the pipe 31 with the cylinder 26.The supply-pipe 32, leading from a source of supply not shown, such as asteam-boiler on the boat, is inserted in the outer end of the hollowtrunnion 8 and secured therein by a screw-threaded connection whichpermits a relative rotary motion of the trunnion and pipe, thuspermitting the trunnion-sleeve to be oscillated without interfering withthe fluid-supply.

Any number of links connected with the dipper-handle may be employed.

The adjustable stop 33 prevents the togglejoint from assuming afully-expanded form, thus assuring the release of the clamps when thefluid-pressure is removed from the piston.

The supply of fluid-pressure to the piston and cylinder can becontrolled by a valve 34 in the supply-pipe.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In an excavator, the combination with a dipper-handle; of areciprocatory handle inclosing and reinforcing sleeve.

2. In an excavator, the combination with a dipper-handle; stops locatednear its opposite ends and means for raising and supporting said handle;of a handle inclosing and re-' inforcing sleeve reciprocatory betweensaid stops.

3. In an excavator, the combination with a dipper-handle; of a handleinclosing and reinforcing sleeve; and a trunnion-supporting sleeve, saidhandle and reinforcing sleeve being reciprocatory in saidtrunnion-supporting sleeve, substantially as described.

4. In an excavator, the combination with a tapered dipper handle, of areciprocatory handle inclosing and reinforcing sleeve.

5. In an excavator, the combination with an inclosing sleeve; ofadipper-handlereciprocatory within said sleeve, and having its endportions corresponding in cross-sectional form with the interior of saidsleeve and having a transversely-contracted portion of less length thanthe sleeve and terminating near the top of the arm, substantially asdescribed.

6. In an excavator, the combination with a I dipper-handle; and meansfor operating said handle; of a reinforcing-sleeveinclosing andreciprocatory upon said handle; atruunionsupporting sleeve; and ayielding butter interposed between overlapping portions of said sleeves,substantially as described.

7. In an excavator, the combination with a dipper-handle; and means foroperating the same; of a trunnion-supportingsleeve inclosing saidhandle; and a yielding buffer so located as to relieve concussion causedby the sudden stopping of the dipper-handle upon reaching the limit ofits downward movement through said sleeve, substantially as described.

8. In an excavator, the combination with the boom, and aslideway-support mounted upon the boom; of a dipper-handle reciprocatorythrough said'slideway-support; a handle-supporting link reciprocatoryoutside of said slideway-support; and clamping mechanism for said linkmounted upon said slideway-support, and supported thereby independentlyof said boom.

9. In an excavator, the combination with a trunnion-sleeve; of adipper-handle reciprocatory in said sleeve; a handle-supporting linkreciprocatory outside said sleeve; and clamping mechanism for said linkcarried by said sleeve.

10. In an excavator, the combination with a trunnion-sleeve; of adipper-handle reciprocatory in said sleeve; a link connected with saidhandle and reciprocatory outside said sleeve in unison with said handle;and toggle-actuated mechanism supported by said sleeve and adapted toengage and clamp said link.

11. In an excavator, the combination with a trunnion-sleeve; of adipper-handle reciprocatory therein; a link connected with said handleand reciprocatory outside said sleeve in unison with said handle;clamping mechanism adapted to engage said link; a cylinder and pistoncarried by said sleeve and operatively connected with said clampingmechanism; and means for supplying to said cylinder and piston fluidunder pressure.

12. In an excavator, the combination with a trunnion-sleeve; of adipper-handle recipro-v catory therein; a plurality of links connectedwith said handle, and reciprocatory outside said sleeve in unison withsaid handle; a friction-plate inserted between adjacent links;

Ill

.and operatively connected with the hinge of said toggle joint; andmeans for supplying fluid under pressure to said piston and cylinder.

14. In an excavator, the combination with a slideway-support; of adipper-handle and a handle-inclosing reinforcing-sleeve bothreciprocatory in said slideway-support; a link located outside of saids1eeve and slideway- 10 support and connected and reciprocatory inunison with said handle; and clampingmeche anisin for said link mountedupon said slide- Way-support.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 31st day of May,1900.

RALPH R. OSGOOD.

Witnesses:

FRANK O. CURTIS, E. M. OREILLY.

